My mother and I have traveled together many times, but the trips we have taken abroad are the most memorable. We share a love of food, history and architecture, which makes us perfect traveling companions. When I had the opportunity to travel to Northern England, I thought this would be a perfect trip to take with my mom and daughter for Mother's Day. And I was right. We were awed, inspired, educated and made memories to last a lifetime.
Northern England is a great family destination with something for everyone - picturesque landscapes, history, incredible architecture and real castles! There are grand homes and gardens as well as wonderful museums designed with families in mind. Family-friendly self-catering accommodations (lodging includes a kitchen) are plentiful. And, local cuisine is not to be missed. Everyone asks me about the food in England and my answer is every single meal was perfect - the food was deliciously comforting and modern at the same time. Cottage pies, stews, fish & chips, duck, Chateaubriand, pork belly, Yorkshire pudding and sticky toffee pudding to name a few. The children's menus are also worth noting as they mostly consist of smaller portions of adult meals and were much more healthful than what you typically find in the states.
Manchester/ Chester
Northern England is easily reached with several nonstop flights into Manchester. The first night, we stayed in The Place Aparthotel which is a great apartment style hotel in the center of Manchester. Housed in an old converted factory, the suites have living rooms, kitchens and separate bedrooms with exposed brick walls and ceilings. We stopped for a bite in the hotel restaurant and had to order the Fish and Chips for our first meal. It was delicious and perfectly prepared.
Chester
On the day we arrived, we decided to hop a train and head an hour south to the quaint and historic city of Chester. Chester has it all - charm, beauty, history, walk-ability and and it is full of families. Also, Chester is one of the best preserved walled cities in the UK and boasts a castle, a 1,000 year old cathedral, the oldest Roman amphitheater in England and the largest and most visited zoo in Britain.
LANCASHIRE AREA
On day two of our trip we took the train to Preston and Ribby Hall Village. Ribby Hall is a family resort that consists of spacious self-catering cottages and a spa hotel (for adults only) situated on more than 100 acres. There are several excellent restaurants on the property, as well as a market with everything you need to stock the refrigerator in your cottage. We had the opportunity to try the Tapas Bar, The Restaurant (I highly recommend the Chateaubriand for two and the sticky toffee pudding served with caramel popcorn and caramel popcorn ice cream) and the Tearoom. All of which were fantastic.
There is so much for families to do at Ribby Hall, it would be hard to fit it all in while leaving time to check out the nearby sights. Some of the activities include giant human hamster balls on the indoor pool, baby ballet, playdough time, music time, messy time, fishing, a rock climbing wall, hiking, archery, body zorbing, a petting zoo and many more. There is a list of activities and an online tour of all the property has to offer on their website, which is worth checking out.
Blackpool
Just eight miles from Ribby Hall in the seaside town of Blackpool, is The Blackpool Tower. Built in 1894, this bright red tower overlooks the stunning Irish Sea. Blackpool Tower is not just a really cool tower reminiscent of its larger Parisian cousin, the Eiffel Tower, it is also home to several attractions including a glass skywalk on the 318 foot observation deck (not for the faint of heart), a 4D cinema experience, a stunning fully operational ballroom (more on this below), a circus, an indoor playground, and a dungeon ride. There is enough here to keep the whole family entertained for a couple of days.
The tower itself is spectacular, but the Blackpool Tower Ballroom is where it's at. When told we were having tea in the ballroom, I pictured tea and little sandwiches in a boring event "ballroom." You know the kind, the event or conference ballroom you find in a hotel or in a resort. Wrong. Way wrong. The Blackpool Tower Ballroom is something you must experience to believe it still exists. It is not just the architecture (which is amazingly beautiful and truly breathtaking), you feel like you have stumbled upon a private club from another era.
According to the head server, Claire (who might be found dancing with one of the guests on the dance floor), these crazy 'kids' have afternoon tea and ballroom dance here almost every afternoon, and some have been doing so for close to 40 years. There are tables on three sides of the dance floor where afternoon tea is served. Tea consists of a three tiered tower of several kinds of delicious sandwiches, scones, pastries and, of course, tea. An organ sits on the grand stage with a veteran organist playing ballroom tunes for the 150 or so guests and dancers. While most were serious dancers, a couple of parents took a twirl around the floor with their kiddos. This is one of those experiences you need to see before it's a thing of the past. My 'mum' and I did not want to leave!
A great option for dinner in Blackpool is the Beach House, located a couple of minutes walk from the tower, right on the beach. The tapas were suburb and you could not ask for a better view.
Lancaster
On day three we headed about 30 miles north of Ribby Hall to the charming town of Lancaster. Lancaster, like many northern England towns is walkable and lovely. Our first stop was a tour of Lancaster Castle. The castle was built sometime in the 11th century and has a long and dark history. It was used as prison for the last several centuries, all the way up until 2011, and part of the castle still houses a working courthouse. It is a fascinating glimpse into the dark history of the area.
On the western edge of Lancaster sits Williamson Park, home to Ashton Memorial and the Butterfly House. The Memorial, built in 1907-09 sits on the highest point in the city and offers stunning views for miles around. The Butterfly House is a gorgeous 1907 glass building housing a tropical garden and butterflies. Admission includes entrance into the mini-beasts area, an aviary and a small mammal area housing small animals such as rabbits, meerkats and guinea pigs.
For a great meal in a cozy pub, The Borough in Lancaster offers a modern take on cozy comfort foods using local recipes and locally sourced ingredients. And their kid's menu is top notch!
YORKSHIRE AREA
Fancy a stay in a real castle? If your kiddos are into castles and knights, Northern England is the place to be. Not only can you visit and explore dozens of castles, but you can even stay in one! Hazlewood Castle was built in the 1200's and was owned by the same family for 900 years. It was sold in 1908 and turned into a hotel in the 1990's. There are 1,000 years of history within the castle walls. Beautiful guest rooms, several gorgeous sitting rooms, a 12th century chapel, lovely grounds and a stellar restaurant made for an unforgettable stay that we are certain to repeat at some point in the future.
On day four we visited the magnificent and sprawling Castle Howard. Castle Howard is located on 1,000 acres and is not technically a castle, it is a 140,000 square foot (by some estimates) private residence that has 145 rooms and has been the home of the same family for more than 300 years. Part of the house is open to the public from the end of March through November and the grounds are open year round. We missed the opening of the interior by one day, but the grounds are so lovely it is worth visiting any time of year. It is also home to a great cafe serving delicious local recipes including Yorkshire rarebit with smoked tomato chutney.
A great stop nearby for food is the Crown and Cushion in Welburn - delicious food and local cider, fireside or outdoors on a lovely deck with stunning views.
On day five we visited Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Set in 500 beautiful acres of the 18th Century Bretton estate, the park is home to historic gardens, dozens of sculptures and several semi-permanent and temporary exhibitions from major artists. It is the perfect place to spend the day with the kiddos with acre upon acre of land to inspire, roam and play. It also has a lovely cafe with tremendous views.
Our next stop was Brodsworth Hall and Gardens, a Victorian country home and gardens built in the 1860s that offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives and changing fortunes of the people who lived there. With declining fortunes, servants departed and much of the house went unused due to the lack of funds for repairs. The servants quarters were left untouched since the early 1900's. All of the other rooms were closed and some were used to store unused furniture. There are still all of the original kitchen wares and furniture in the bedrooms of the expansive servants quarters. The original carpet, wallpaper and furniture from the 1800's remains in the main part of the home as well. The last occupant of the house lived in one room until she died in 1990. It was taken over by English Heritage in 1990 and it was decided that because the interiors were still mostly original, that they would be conserved, but not restored, so the home is left in a lingering faded and worn state.
York
Day six our of trip was spent in the picturesque town of York. York is one of the most quaint, charming and historic towns I have ever seen - endless options of things to see, do and learn!
Clifford's Tower, along with parts of the castle walls, are what remain of York Castle, which was built in the mid 13th century (to replace a wooden castle built on the site in 1098). You can enter the tower and climb the original stone spiral staircases to view a small chapel and then on to the top for spectacular views of the entire city. You can still see the enormous fireplaces and arrow slits in the walls of the tower.
There are two museums that are must-sees for families in York - the York Castle Museum (a social history of York with many interactive exhibits for children, including a toy exhibit, and a Victorian street) and the Yorkshire Museum (housing natural history exhibits from the area as well as local artifacts from Roman and Viking times, and also has several interactive exhibits for kids). Yorkshire Museum sits in an area of expansive gardens and is adjacent to the ruins of the 11th-century St. Mary's Abbey- such a beautiful location, perfect for you and your kiddos to explore!
York Minster, built in the 12th century, is larger than Westminster Abbey in London and is a truly awe inspiring exhibit of Gothic architecture. There is evidence of a church being on the site since 627 AD and the current structure was built on top of the ruins of a Roman fortress. The ruins were discovered in the 1960's as part of a restoration project to strengthen the massive building and can be viewed in a museum style exhibit under the cathedral. Showing your children what humans were able to accomplish on such a large scale, long before the invention modern machinery, is hard to come by in the states. This is one of those places where the look on your children's faces as they take it all in is truly priceless.
If you are in England on a Sunday, you must seek out the best place to enjoy a Sunday Roast. In York, this place is Star Inn the City. Located in the York Museum Gardens, Star Inn the City is in an old engine house located along a river near a historic bridge. A mom-approved children's menu, superb food and atmosphere to match.
York was the last stop of our trip and was the perfect end to the perfect mother-daughter vacation to Northern England. If you are looking to make everlasting memories while enjoying breathtaking landscapes, picturesque towns, incredible food, fascinating museums, historic homes and castles, be sure to add Northern England to your bucket list.
See more pics and videos from our trip here. For more information about traveling to Northern England and suggested itineraries visit NorthernEngland.com.
The writer was a guest of Visit Britain to facilitate this review. Accommodations and most meals and activities were included. No other compensation was received and all opinions are her own.
